TGIF: Two $50 Watches to Buy For Father's Day

Father's Day is June 15th. That's practically right around the corner. A watch is almost always an appropriate gift choice for Father's Day, too. But, kids aren't made of money. Depending on their age, they are often buying with allowance, odd job, or minimum wage money. In some cases, Dad's money is paying for Dad's gift. For most families that means a Rolex is right out. Instead, let's look at some decent watches that are priced for less than $50.

Father's Day Watch Choice: The Casio MDV-106 Series Dive Watch 

This Casio is a perennial favorite among watch collectors. Often priced at less than $50, the MDV-106 (informally called the Casio Duro or Marlin) offers dive watch features and performance. It has a stainless steel case, a Japanese quartz movement, 200-meters of water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, a date window, and a fish right on the dial. It's a great choice for an active father and makes a great bang around watch.

Casio MDV-106 Duro Dive Watch

Father's Day Watch: Timex Men's Highland Street Watch

Watch collectors are gaga about simple watches like the Rolex Explorer. They go on and on about the readable dial and substantial build quality. At some point, you just want to raise your hand and say, "A Timex can do that, too." Take the Timex Men's Highland Street watch with Expansion Band. It has a 39mm diameter case.  For those counting that's 3 more millimeters than the typical 36mm Rolex Explorer I. Of course, Rolex came out with a 39 and 40mm case options at various points after 2010. But, by then, they were just trying to keep up with revered brands like Timex.

Timex Highland Street

A quartz watch like the Timex Highland Street is exactly the functional tool watch that most dad's need. As an added benefit, after buying this watch, kids will still be able to have a college fund.

Both of these watches are attractive gifts for Father's Day. They are practical, attractive, and affordable.

Recreating the Style of the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Watch

Being cursed with more taste than money, one of the watches that I really like is the Tudor Heritage Black Bay.  With a stainless case, black leather strap, black bezel, and black dial, this Tudor Heritage Black Bay (on Amazon)Tudor Heritage Black Bay (on Amazon) has the business-like look of a classic commando dive watch.  The weathered look of the watch strap makes the Tudor Black Bay look like a timepiece with a thousand stories that it can never tell.  I also respect that Tudor as a Rolex-brand brings high quality components and workmanship together with a non-Rolex movement.  It sheds pretense to bring you solid capability at a more affordable price point.  Unfortunately, that price point is still quite a bit out of my range.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay (Amazon photo)

The next obvious question for me is simple:  how do I recreate the look and some of the capabilities of a Tudor Black Bay watch at a price point that I can afford?  The first step is to identify a suitable water resistant watch that has a similar look to the Tudor Black Bay.  One of the first dive watches to meet my criteria is the Orient "Ray II Rubber" watch.  It has the stainless steel case, black dial, and black bezel.  It also has circular batons to denote the hours.  It does have a  day/date complication that's not on the Tudor. Both are similarly sized watches with the Tudor coming in at 41 millimeters and the Orient coming in at 41 millimeters.  Both watches are water resistant to 200 meters.

Orient Ray II with Rubber Strap

The next step would be to replace the stainless steel bracelet of the Orient with a thick leather strap.  Fortunately, Hemsut H offers a 22 millimeter leather watch strap in a variety of colors including black. With the strap and the watch, you'll get the all black look of the Tudor Black Bay. You'll also get a bona fide automatic watch with a total price tag somewhere in the neighborhood of $200.

There are Tudor Black Bay models with a similar look but a black stainless steel case.  If you prefer the black stainless steel look, this project gets a little more expensive.  For the lowest cost for this project.  I would suggest an Orient Pro Diver or even a Casio Duro Quartz Analog Dive Watch.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to verify the strap width.  But, the look is right on!

   

New Casio Watch Model: MRW-210H Men's 'Diver Style' Quartz Resin Casual Watch

On a recent trip to Walmart, I spotted a brand new model of Casio watch.  At least, I hadn't seen this model before so it was new to me.  This new Casio offers a fixed, non-rotating, bezel diver-style watch.  I'm not a big fan of non-rotating bezels.  However, the dial of this sport watch is considerably larger and easier to read than the dial of the popular classic Casio MRW-200H dive watch.  The fixed bezel watch has a 53 mm diameter case while the rotating bezel has a 43mm diameter case.  Consequently, this new watch (Model MRW-210H) should definitely give Timex Easy Reader and Timex Expedition models a run for the money during this holiday season.

One nice thing about this new, larger, Casio model is that it still has a robust 100 meters of water resistance.  This should allow you to shower, wash dishes, and do a little swimming.  At this price point, you don't get a stainless steel case.  Instead this model features an attractively molded black resin case and bezel.  This material is pretty rugged and should stand up to years of use.  The watch comes with a three year battery.

If you are interested in going commando--at least in the horological sense--the new fixed bezel Casio watches also come in all black.  In this case, the numbers receive a silver, chrome, treatment.

This watch should be compared with the Timex Core Resin Expedition watch with has a very similar look.  You'll note that both watches have a similar look and provide an inner ring of numbers for the 24-hour time.  I'll post a review of the Timex Core Resin Expedition watch in a few days in order to provide a comparison.

If you are looking for practical and pseudo-tactical, these new Casio diver-style watches are definitely worth a look!

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV): A Stainless Steel Bargain for Divers and Fisherman!

If you are the nautical-type--a diver, a fisherman, a surfer, or someone who likes the beach--you appreciate the look of a dive watch on your wrist.  From Jacques Cousteau to the local fisherman, nearly everyone associated with the sea has a dive watch or two.

Atlantic Blue Marlin

Unfortunately, the high dollar dive watches from Rolex tend to send messages to the populace like - I have money, overcharge me, rip me off, or mug me.  If you want an alternative that fits in everywhere you go, check out this quartz analog dive watch from Casio.  It's technically called the MDV106-1AV.  It's a catchy little moniker someone in marketing must have dreamed up.  Since it has a picture of a Marlin on it, I'll just call it the Casio Marlin Dive Watch.

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV)

The Casio Marlin Dive Watch isn't  a big clunker.  It has a 44 millimeter diameter case that is 12 millimeters thick.  The slim watch will fit under a shirt sleeve in the hot sun and it will be less likely to snag on a cleat, railing, or fishing pole.  It has 200 meters of water resistance and a rotating bezel that only rotates in one direction.  The case is stainless steel and the strap is resin.  In short, it looks like a dive watch should and it functions like a dive watch should.  Plus, it's priced right.  You can see the Walmart price in the picture below.  But, Amazon can have it shipped right to your house for the price below:
 
If you are looking for an affordable, durable, timepiece to accompany you on your aquatic adventures, this Casio Marlin is the one to get.  Catch this low key Casio Marlin and get back to fishing.

Striped Blue Marlin - photo by Kate Crandell (originally posted to Flickr as IMG_1958) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Three Affordable Diver Style Watches

Every man has an inner James Bond. That James Bond is evoked every time a man takes a glance at the dial of a dive or dive-style watch. While we all can't afford a Rolex Submariner on a NATO strap, there are plenty of other dive style watches that do fit our budgets. 

Rolex Submariner Watches - Photo by Eternalsleeper at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Caravelle by Bulova Diver-Style Watch

The first dive-style watch that I added to my collection was this Caravelle by Bulova.  It's an awesome looking watch with the simple dial and rotating bezel that everyone likes.  Unfortunately, the rubber band used tends to deteriorate quickly and finding a replacement that doesn't cost more than the watch is a real challenge.

Caravelle by Bulova Diver-Style Watch

Fortunately, this watch (or one just like it), is available with a stainless steel band.  It makes perfect sense to have the dive look in a rugged package.

Pulsar Diver-Style Watch

If  you like a dive style watch with a black rubber strap, you might check out this Pulsar dive watch.  It gives you the classic look, a reputable watch manufacturer, and a strap in a standard size that you can easily replace when it gets worn out.

This black and business-like watch is Pulsar Model PXH227.  It offers 100 meters of water resistance so that you can actually get it wet and go snorkeling or swimming.

photo By Wusel007 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps even better, is this Pulsar diver-style watch on Amazon with solar power and 100 meters of water resistance!

Casio Dive Watch 

If you want a great looking dive watch with 200 meters of water resistance and a great low price, you absolutely have to check out this Casio.

It features a Marlin on the dial and it looks great.  It also gets phenomenal ratings with 4 1/2 stars on Amazon.  Plus, it's priced lower than most of its competition!

Classic Cheap Watch: Casio MRW200H Dive Watch

As we've been living out of boxes, I've gained an appreciation for one of the cheap watches that came readily to hand:  my Casio MRW200H Dive watch.

Casio MRW200H Dive Watch

It's so light that you barely realize you are wearing it.  You can even sleep whole wearing this watch.  But, it's tough and offers good 100-meter water resistance, too.  For only $25 or so, it is hard to beat.

Casio MRW200H Dive Watch

If you need a decent bang around watch, you can't go wrong with a Casio MRW200H!  You can read my complete review of this watch here.  If you'd like to buy a watch like this, Amazon has plenty of varieties here.

Wristwatch Review: Casio MRW200H Neo-Display Dive Watch

Reviewing an Inexpensive Classic from Casio

 [I originally published this review on Yahoo Contributors Network on March 22, 2014.  However, as Yahoo is shuttering their site on July 31st, the article is being republished here.]

If you plan to take a wristwatch in harm's way, there are two approaches you can take. You can buy a expensive armored watch or you can buy a super cheap watch that you don't mind getting damaged. One such disposable watch is the rugged Casio MRW200H Neo-Display Dive Watch. It's a very inexpensive watch, but it mimics much of the style and some of the functions of far more expensive timepieces. I was thrilled to pick up a diver-style watch for less than $20.

Watch Style. This Casio looks like an expensive dive watch. It has a black case, black dial, and a black resin strap. I got model MRW200H-4BV on which the watch hands are luminous and numbers are in contrasting orange. (This watch is also available in different variants with white, blue or green numbers or with luminous bubbles instead of numbers on the dial). This Casio has a rotating diver-style bezel with an inverted triangle marking 12 o'clock and the first 15 minutes marked at minute intervals and every five minutes with contrasting numbers. The dial has large numbers for 12 hour time and an inboard set of smaller numbers to provide 24-hour time. A day and date window take the 3 o'clock position. Multi-national forces may appreciate that the day is provided in Spanish, French, and English.

 Watch Functionality. My Casio MRW200H-4BV keeps time well and more than meets my expectations for a watch at this price point. For most daydreamers, this watch works quite well. However, if you have more demanding needs from a watch, you'll want to be aware of potential drawbacks with the MRW200H. First, the bezel is not uni-directional and it doesn't click with each turn. Scuba divers use rotating bezels to keep track of how much time they can spend under water. A uni-directional bezel can't be bumped to show that divers have more time available. It helps keep them from running out of air. Second, the watch is a little finicky to set. Finally, the crystal is definitely scratchable.

Watch Size. The Casio MRW200H-4BV is a nicely-sized watch with a 43 mm case diameter and 11 m case thickness. The strap appears to be robustly sized 22 millimeters near the watch, but tapers down to a far more modest width at the buckle. While the band is a bit flimsy, it is long with adjustments for any sized wrist. At only about 4 ounces, this Casio is extremely lightweight and comfortable.

Watch Construction. The Casio MRW200H-4BV has a black resin case and stainless steel caseback. The case bumps out slightly to protect the crown. While it is not a screwdown crown, this Casio does provide 100 meters of water resistance.

Price. I've seen this Casio at a wide variety of price points between $16 and $25. Walmart and Amazon have it for the lowest prices. I was able to pick it up from Walmart for just less than $19.

Overall. I really like this watch. The MRW200H series of Diver-Style watches are a good value for the money. They make a great "bang around watch" and cost less than $25.

These watches are a lot like potato chips, it's hard to stop with just one. A bang around watch from a name brand like Casio for less than $25 is always a great day.

Cheap Dive Watch Review: Casio MRW200H Neo-Display Dive Watch

Everyone wants a bad ass commando-style dive watch.  Everyone wants the kind of watch that has a case, strap, and bezel in midnight black and high visibility numbers. But, real commando watch capabilities often come with a high price tag.  Of course, if you aren't a real commando, you don't have to pay that high price.  You can just buy a watch that looks cool.  When it comes to cool for the price, it's hard to beat this Casio:

Casio MRW200H Neo-Display Dive Watch

Yup, I finally broke down and bought the Casio MRW200H Diver-Style watch that I've been lusting after on my trips to Walmart and Target.  It's pretty awesome for a watch that costs less than $25. You can read my complete review of this watch here.  If you'd like to buy a watch like this, Amazon has plenty of varieties here.

Casio MRW200H Diver-style Watches - Adventure on the Cheap!

There are some watches that I see every time I go to the store.  They catch my eye, hold my attention, and then I put them back.  These watches intrigue me, but are just too similar to some of the watches that I already have in my collection.  For example, these Casio MRW200H Dive Watches are attractive and affordable.  You can always find them at Walmart, Target, or Kmart. Amazon has them even cheaper!

These utilitarian dive watches have rotating bezels and are waterproof to 100 meters.  They also have readable dials with large numbers, day/date windows, and a mineral crystal.  It should be noted that the bezel is not unidirectional and doesn't give you a click with each turn.  But, at less than $25, they are the kind of watch that you won't be afraid to abuse.  They look good and they offer adventure on the cheap!

I think I would buy one of these watches in a flash.  But, my trusty Timex is still taking a licking and it still keeps on ticking.  One day, I'll surely succumb to the lure of an inexpensive bang around Casio watch that has adventure written all over it!

By David Haberthür (image description page) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

[After I wrote this post, I did get a Casio MRW200H.  You can read my complete review of it here on this blog.]